808_PI_ICPS_Soil_Carbon_Amendment_2020.pdf

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United States Department of Agriculture -CPS-1808

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NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To obtain the current version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State office or visit the Field Office Technical Guide online by going to the NRCS website at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and type FOTG in the search field.

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Natural Resources Conservation Service

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD

SOIL CARBON AMENDMENT

CODE 808

(ac)

DEFINITION

Using amendments derived from plant or animal residues to improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil.

PURPOSE

This practice is used to accomplish one or more of the following purposes:

Maintain, increase, or improve soil organic matter quantity and quality •

Maintain or improve soil aggregate stability •

Maintain or improve habitat for soil organisms •

Improve plant productivity and health •

Improve moisture management and enhance the efficient use of irrigation water •

Improve air quality by reducing emissions of particulate matter (PM) and PM precursors, GHGs, • ozone precursors and airborne reactive nitrogen

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES

This practice applies to all land uses where organic carbon amendment applications will improve soil conditions, with the following exceptions:

Do not use this practice to apply amendments to native grasslands or other areas where any • resulting changes in the plant community would be undesirable

Do not apply amendments to fields where nutrients in the amendment will not be utilized (e.g. • fallow land or fields without an existing or planned cover crop or cash crop)

CRITERIA

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes

Evaluate soils using appropriate planning criteria and assessment tools for the intended land use to determine where soil organic carbon amendments will improve the soil condition. The term “organic carbon amendments” refers to carbon-containing amendments derived from plant or animal residues and is not specifically related to the USDA National Organic Program or organic crop production methods.

Plan, design, and implement carbon amendment applications in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The owner or operator is responsible for securing all required permits or approvals and for applying the amendment in accordance with such laws and regulations.Document physical and chemical amendment analysis. If the supplier does not provide an analysis, test the material using an appropriately credentialed laboratory prior to application.For operations following USDA’s

National Organic Program, apply and manage amendments according to program regulations.Calculate total N and P applied with the amendment. Do not apply at rates that exceed the plant total N or P removal https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ rates for the next crop. On fields adjacent to surface water, follow all setbacks and spreading restrictions referenced in state specific NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Nutrient Management (Code

590). Apply at a rate that will improve the soil condition and address the resource concerns without creating unacceptable risk of N or P loss during a single application. Time application of amendments and, where applicable, crop planting dates so that mineralization or immobilization of nutrients corresponds to crop nutrient needs. Amendments with C:N ratios greater than 30:1 can immobilize nutrients, especially nitrogen, and may necessitate supplemental nitrogen applications for plant growth.

Amendments with C:N ratios below 20:1 are likely to mineralize N and should be used at a time when crop

N demand will prevent N leaching or denitrification to oxides of nitrogen (NOx).Do not mix amendments with uncomposted manure or use amendments that have been pre-blended with soil. Do not operate heavy equipment on soils during wet conditions.Do not apply amendments:

During high wind events •

To frozen or snow-covered fields, or when the top 2 inches of soil are saturated •

To slopes greater than 8% on rangeland or forestland •

To slopes greater than 15% on cropland or pasture. •

To sensitive areas, such as: wetlands, karst sinkholes, vernal pools, hydric soils, or naturally low • fertility sites (e.g. serpentine soils, sage steppe, alkali sink or chaparral)

Where the area will not be vegetated for longer than 3 months following application, or where • nutrients from the amendment will cause leaching or runoff loss and water quality concerns

Compost: Use compost that meets the following criteria as determined by the Test Methods for the

Examination of Composting and Compost (TMECC), or by Land Grant University (LGU) recognized methods:

Carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) greater than 10:1 at maturity •

40-60% moisture (60-40% solids) at maturity •

Compost analyses must also report the carbon and nitrogen content, phosphorus, potassium, pH, soluble salts (electroconductivity), organic matter, and bulk density. Use laboratories successfully meeting the requirements and performance standards of the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance

Program (STA), or use an alternative NRCS- or State-approved certification program that considers laboratory performance and proficiency to assure accuracy of laboratory analyses.Do not apply compost when a phosphorus risk assessment indicates a high or very high risk for phosphorus transport.Ensure mitigating conservation practices to prevent runoff are in place at the time of application if compost is spread on cropland with 8%-15% slopes and within 100 ft of a surface water body, Biochar: Use biochar that is produced by heating biomass to a temperature in excess of 350°C under conditions of controlled and limited oxidant concentrations to prevent combustion (pyrolysis or gasification).

Biochar analysis must report:

Country of origin of biochar and feedstock, and feedstock composition •

Production method (e.g. verification of temperature and limited oxygen conditions) •

Organic carbon, ash, nitrogen, pH, EC, liming equivalent, phosphorus, potassium, and pH of the • final material.

Use laboratories successfully meeting the requirements and performance standards of the International

Biochar Institute (IBI) Seal or use an alternative NRCS- or State-approved certification program that considers laboratory performance and proficiency to assure accuracy of laboratory analyses.

Do not use biochar produced from:

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Crop residues that could otherwise be left on the field to provide soil protection and improve soil • organism habitat, or

Woody residue needed to sustain forest health and wildlife habitat referenced in NRCS CPS Forest •

Stand Improvement (Code 666).

Other Carbon Amendments: Use regionally appropriate carbon-based materials, such as wood chips, pulverized paper, bagasse, coal ash, wood ash, or distillation residue to meet the conservation objective.

Consult appropriate land-use specialists for assistance to plan for a specific conservation objective using alternative carbon amendments.

Do not use this practice for the application of amendments containing biosolids or sewage sludge, or for the application of inorganic amendments such as limestone .

Ensure that materials are tested to identify any contaminants, and that supplemental N is applied as needed to avoid nutrient imbalances that may result from nitrogen immobilization with high C:N amendments.

Whole Orchard Recycling (WOR): Chip and incorporate orchard trees in place in the field in which they were grown. Do not export wood chips off site.

Distribute wood chips evenly and incorporate into the soil to a depth of at least six inches. WOR is applicable only to orchard trees, not to vineyards or bush crops. Use WOR in orchards where it will not pose an increased risk for disease, or where an increased risk of disease is managed by excluding diseased biomass or using similar cultural practices.

Additional Criteria to Improve Aggregate Stability

Apply amendments with minimal soil disturbance.

Additional Criteria to Improve Air Quality by Reducing Emissions of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and

Particulate Matter (PM) or by Reducing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

Utilize whole orchard recycling on orchards greater than 10 years old as an alternative to agricultural burning to reduce emissions of NOx, PM, and GHG’s. After incorporating wood chips into the soil, avoid creating anaerobic conditions by overwatering or by allowing ponded water, which could result in methane emissions.

To minimize fugitive PM emissions, do not apply soil amendments, operate chipping machinery, or disturb the soil during high wind events.

Additional Criteria to Improve Moisture Management and the Efficient Use of Irrigation Water

Ensure amendments will not introduce excessive salts and will not negatively affect soil water dynamics.

CONSIDERATIONS

General Considerations

When applying amendment to cropland where it will also serve as a nutrient source, apply amendments with C:N less than 20:1 to optimize nutrient availability for crop uptake.

Mix biochar and compost together prior to application to supply nutrients to nutrient-poor biochars and equilibrate nutrient interactions in the soil.

Using compost or biochar with the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance Program (STA) or the International Biochar Institute (IBI) Seal, respectively, may serve as an expedient alternative for amendment validation.

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Where Whole Orchard Recycling is applied, large amounts of high C:N material incorporated as wood chips may result in nitrogen immobilization and low N availability for a following crop. Soil testing is recommended to ensure that adequate N is available for crop planted following WOR.

Apply biochar that contains more than 60% carbon to reduce nitrogen or phosphorus losses. Test the product on small acreage prior to widespread use.

Consider using set maintenance application rates that would meet the conservation objective, avoid any negative nutrient interactions, and reduce planning time.

Take appropriate measures to prevent soil erosion and compaction.

Where material is trucked onto land, timing of traffic must minimize potential soil compaction, and traffic routes must be closely examined to ensure that erosion is not caused and that vehicles do not spread noxious or invasive seed. Disturbed areas should be appropriately treated to minimize potential erosion.

When applying the amendment to the surface on cropland, review NRCS CPS Mulching (Code 484)

Mulching to ensure the best standard is selected for the intended purpose.

Where salinity poses soil health issues, ensure that amendments do not contribute further salts.

Consider using diesel-powered equipment and vehicles powered by Tier 3 or Tier 4 emissions certified diesel engines to minimize NOx and PM emissions from diesel exhaust.

When applying amendments that may contain pathogens (e.g. biological soil amendments of animal origin including manure, composted manure, composted carcasses, etc.), consider potential contamination pathways to produce crops typically consumed raw, food contact surfaces, water distribution systems, and other soil amendment sources where it could become a potential source of contamination.

Soil organic carbon loss is related to the volume of soil disturbed, intensity of the disturbance, and the soil moisture content and soil temperature at the time the disturbance occurs. To make this practice more effective at reducing carbon loss:

Perform any deep soil disturbance, such as ripping, subsoiling or fertilizer injection, so the vertical • slot created by the implements is closed at the surface.

Plant with a single disk or slot opener no-till drill to release less carbon dioxide (CO2) and reduce • oxidation of organic matter compared to wide-point hoe/chisel opener seeder drill.

Perform soil disturbance when exposed soil carbon is less likely to be oxidized and lost as CO2 •

(e.g. when soil temperatures are below 50° For when the soil is dry)

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

In the soil carbon amendment plan, document—

Purpose of practice •

In-field Soil Health Assessment Worksheet results for each conservation management unit •

Laboratory soil health tests that include at least soil carbon before application •

Planned fields receiving amendments and their planned rotations aerial photos, including location • of sensitive areas and setbacks

Soil maps, including soil type, slope, drainage class •

Amendment analysis •

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Application rate, method, timing, and method of incorporation (when applicable) •

Evaluation of carbon input effectiveness for the purpose(s) using the In-field Soil Health •

Assessment Worksheet to interpret positive trends.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Monitor fields following LGU guidance and State law. Take a follow-up soil test that includes soil organic carbon at least a year after application to determine the effectiveness of the application for improving soil organic carbon. Consider testing at least 3 years after application to evaluate the impact of the amendment on other soil health-related resource concerns.

Inspect and evaluate surface applied applications after the first heavy precipitation event to assure that the material is stable and does not impact non-target areas.

Calibrate application equipment to ensure accurate distribution of material at planned rates.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the amendment (application, amount of cover provided, durability, etc.) and adjust future management or type of amendment to better meet the intended purpose(s).

REFERENCES

ACR 2014. Methodology for Compost Additions to Grazed Grasslands, Version 1.0. American Carbon

Registry. https://americancarbonregistry.org/

Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO). 2019. AAPFCO Product Label Guide.

http://www.aapfco.org/pdf/product_label_guide.pdf

Busby, R., Torbert, H., and Prior, S. 2019. Soil and vegetation responses to amendment with pulverized classified paper waste. Soil and Tillage Research, 104328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104328

Cornell Waste Management Institute. Composting. http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/composting.htm

Domene, X. et al. 2014. Medium-term Effects of Corn Biochar Addition on Soil Biota Activities and

Functions in a Temperate Soil Cropped to Corn. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 72:156-162.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.01.035

Gravuer, K., Gennet, S., and H. Throop. Organic Amendment Additions to Rangelands: A Meta-Analysis of Multiple Ecosystem Outcomes. Global Change Biology, 25(3):1152-1170.

https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14535

Guerena D, Lehmann, Walter T, Enders A, Neufeldt H, Odiwour H, Biwott H, Recha J, Shepherd K, Barrios E and Wurster C 2015 Terrestrial pyrogenic carbon export to fluvial ecosystems: lessons learned from the White Nile watershed of East Africa. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 29, GB005095.

International Biochar Initiative. Biochar Standards.https://biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard/

Lehmann, J. 2007 Bio-energy in the Black. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 5(7):381–

387.https://doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2007)5[381:BITB]2.0.CO;2

Schahczenski, J. 2018. Biochar and Sustainable Agriculture. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. National

Center for Appropriate Technology. https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/download.php?id=322

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N https://americancarbonregistry.org/carbon-accounting/standards-methodologies/methodology-for-greenhouse-gas-emission-reductions-from-compost-additions-to-grazed-grasslands/compost-additions-to-grazed-grasslands-v1-0.pdf http://www.aapfco.org/pdf/product_label_guide.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104328 http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/composting.htm https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.01.035 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14535 https://biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard/ https://biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard/ https://doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2007)5%5b381:BITB%5d2.0.CO;2 https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/download.php?id=322

Sullivan, D., Bary, A., Miller, R., and Brewer, L. 2018. Interpreting Compost Analyses. Oregon State

University Extension Service. EM 9217. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9217

The North American Proficiency Testing Program. Participating Laboratories.

https://www.naptprogram.org/about/participants/all/

University of California Davis. 2019. Whole Orchard Recycling. Biomass recycling for sustainability and resilience of almond production. https://orchardrecycling.ucdavis.edu/soil-health

US Biochar Initiative. Biochar Information. https://biochar-us.org/biochar-basics

US Composting Council. Labs Certified STA for Compost.

https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/CertifiedLabs

USDA, NRCS. 2007. Nutrient Management Technical Note 7, Reducing Risk of E. coli O157:H7.

https://go.usa.gov/xVdD6

USDA, NRCS. 2010. National Engineering Handbook, Part 637, Chapter 2, Composting.

https://go.usa.gov/xVdDt

USDA, NRCS. 2011. National Agronomy Manual. 190-V. 4th Ed. https://go.usa.gov/xVdWq

USDA, NRCS. 2011. General Manual, Title 190, Part 402, Nutrient Management.

https://go.usa.gov/xVdWX

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N https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9217 https://www.naptprogram.org/about/participants/all/ https://orchardrecycling.ucdavis.edu/soil-health https://biochar-us.org/biochar-basics https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/CertifiedLabs https://go.usa.gov/xVdD6 https://go.usa.gov/xVdDt https://go.usa.gov/xVdWq https://go.usa.gov/xVdWX